China swamped sister squad Hong Kong 12-0 in the 12th Asian Women's Football Championship on November 12, booking a berth in the semifinals with four straight wins in Group B.

Nine Chinese players scored, led by Wang Jian's hat-trick, as the defending champs moved two games closer to bagging their seventh straight crown without dropping a single match.

Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei held favored DPR Korea to a 1-1 draw for the first major surprise in nearby Iloilo City. In another game held in the city, Vietnam Beat India 3-0.

Huang Chung Lan scored the equalizer in the 66th minute -- a penalty kick -- then the the Chinese Taipei team held the DPR Koreans at bay for the rest of the match in earning the tie that boosted their chances of topping Group A.

Earlier tipped to top the group, DPR Korea ended its preliminary round campaign with three wins and a draw. They also qualified for the semifinals.

The result, however, looked liked a shrewd ploy by the DPR Koreans to avoid an early collision with defending champions China, the same squad they lost to 1-3 in the finals of the 1997 Asian Championship in Guangzhou, China.

Now with seven points from two wins and a draw, the Chinese Taipei team have the chance to top the group assuming they beat India, a 0-3 loser to Vietnam in the other match by at least two goals in their last game on Monday.

Should this happen, they would have to face the Group B leaders China in the semifinals.

The Philippines takes on Group C pacesetter Japan Sunday at 3 p. m.at the Iloilo Stadium in a bid to further improve its place in this 15-team tourney.

The DPR Koreans found the defense line of the Chinese Taipei team a tough nut to crack in earlier stages so raised the heat in the last 10 minutes of the first half.

The gambit paid off as they had s series of attempts within a span of three minutes, climaxing in the first goal by Kim Pol-hyui in the 38th.

The tall midfielder, who missed a wide open shot on her first try just outside the box, made certain of her second attempt, slotting in the ball with her left foot after it was deflected following a left corner kick.

Chinese Taipei's chances, on the other hand, were few and far between in the first half.

Its only clear try came from closely marked striker Lin Chi, whose sharp 15-yard volley in the 36th minute from the left flank was easily caught by DPR Korean goalie Kye Yong-sun.

But the Chinese Taipei team patiently worked back into the contest in the second half and finally found the breakthrough they needed when DPR Korean defender Ri Aegyong tackled Lia Ying Yan from behind in front of the penalty box.

That set up Huang for the equaliser as she feinted to the right before calmly smashing the ball into the net.